Spring started in London this week. by the end of the week, of course, it was hiding behind clouds again. But on Wednesday night I was walking in central London at dusk. it has to be the magical hour in London. The one that makesthe city looks it’s most mystical, etherial and beautiful. Here’s some photos taken on my iPhone:

Well, I say snow day – I actually went to work. So did the people at the Guardian (apparently) who have brought us SNOW BLOG LIVE (really) all day long… including useful advice, such as how to walk in snow (like a penguin in case you wondered)

Following Snow Blogs last night and this morning and the snow hysteria in the city I made my way into work this morning. At lunchtime I had to venture across Millbank to get lunch where this quite impressive snowman watched me slip-sliding along the pavement to get something warm to aet. I’ve never seen snow this thick in London before, just a few minute away from the Palace of Westminster and right next to the Thames…

Like this:

It’s very rare that you get snow sticking in London. The last time I recall snow sticking was 2001, on Vauxhall Bridge Road (ironically when I last worked at the place I returned to as my ‘new job’ last week)…

These photos were taken just a few moments ago, hopefully before the snow disappears once rush hour in Camden begins…

Like this:

So last Friday, after leaving a job I’d been doing for 5 1/2 years I went on a short holiday for some winter sun. Well, I had some time off work so thought, why not! It was the kind of holiday I’d never had one to go on before. Three hen parties, lots of young families and the odd gay boy flying with EasyJet to Las Palmas airport in Gran Canaria with us.

We had an “oh my gosh I’m on the kind of holiday parents take” moment, you know, when you arrive at the airport, hire a car and drive to the coastal resort to pick up the keys for your accommodation. It was certainly not like my normal holidays which more often involve a train or bus from the airport for a city break.

We stayed in Playa del Ingles which, in itself, is multiple holiday destinations: the hen parties and ‘lads’ holidays, families, gays and hundreds of snowbirds – though these were mostly older German couples there for a quite some time.

The beach though was amazing, the dunes great to walk over, and the weather warm (not hot, but warm) and hot when the sun was clear. We also spent a day driving inland – well worth doing if you ever find yourself on holiday in Gran Canaira… Amazing scenery although scary roads (narrow, mountainous, winding and with large coaches driving in the opposite direction). We drove to Fataga and San Bartholomew.

Of course, returning to London after six days was quite a shock, cold, wet and rainy – a months worth of rain fell in just 12 hours yesterday. Despite how much I love living in London, and how much I wouldn’t want to live in Gran Canaria, it does sometimes make me whether somewhere warmer would be more enjoyable – perhaps I’ll become a snowbird myself… Or perhaps I’ll just keep hoping – as usual – that we get some kind of summer in London this year. And if not then I’ll keep my promise to myself to go to South America next winter…

At least after all my wisdom tooth problems I can start to eat properly again and, even better, cook properly! Now I have to start preparing for my new job… an exciting task ahead of me